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Catharine Paine Blaine, letter to her sisters, Derinda and Seraphina Paine, regarding the state of affairs in Washington Territory and the progress of the Yakima War, December 18, 1855

Still no letter from home to answer. perhaps this is the pay for my irregularity in writing soon after conference which was unavoidable. The steamer is hourly expected with the mails when perhaps I shall be able to credit some of you for a letter. As Martha has probably gone and Susan is gone and Eleanor has probably gone too. There are left only Derinda and Seraphina from whom I can claim letters regularly. I ought to receive one from one or the other at least every mail. A letter as often as once a month would be an advantage to them in improving their ease and practice [crossed out] habits of composition and a great gratification to us both & me especially by receiving something from home every mail. True, if there was any special news, I suppose I might get some information of it from Mother Paine's good letters to us but even then I should prefer to have my sisters write it. I have just finished a letter to the Northern Christian Advocate and I am writing more or less letters every mail to different persons and for different objects so that should I fail to write home every mail, you must excuse me and write first the same as if you received a letter from me. Now remember this is the arrangement - a letter every other mail from each of my dear sisters, Derinda and Seraphina and when you cannot write I shall be glad to have Father or Mother or both supply the deficiency.

I almost forgot what was written about our indian troubles in our last letter so I will give you an account of the present state of affairs what has been done and what is doing.

[In the margins, a passage continued from page 4 of letter:] hand the enclosed sheet to our folks as soon as convenient?

On June 11, 1855, Governor Isaac I. Stevens forced representatives from the Yakima, Nez Perce, Walla Walla, Umatilla and Cayuse tribes to sign a treaty in which the various tribes signed away vast amounts of land in return for money, reservations, and other provisions. Though the treaty promised white miners would not be allowed on reservation lands, miners frequently passed through these lands, stealing horses from the tribes and abusing Native American women. Stevens had not fully explained to the tribes that until the treaties were confirmed by Congress that whites would be allowed to settle on reservation lands. Following incidents of abuse from white settlers, the Yakima responded by killing eight white men. When Indian Subagent, Andrew J. Bolon tried to investigate these murders, he was killed by the son of a Yakima chief, Mosheel, on September 22, 1855. This event ultimately led to the Yakima War (1855-56). Following the murder of Bolon, Acting Territorial Governor, Charles H. Mason (1830-1859) asked for help from Fort Steilacoom and Fort Vancouver. In November 1855, Captain Maurice Maloney sent Lieutenant Slaughter with 50 soldiers up the White River. His force fought some Native Americans by shooting at them across the river. In December 1855, as Catherine's letter confirms, Slaughter and his men camped at an empty home when they were fired upon by a force of Native Americans. This group was composed of the Puyallup, Nisqually and Klickitat tribes and attacked under orders from Klickitat Chief Kanasket. Catharine's letter also illustrates that Governor Stevens was trying to return to Washington Territory from talks with the Coeur d'Alene tribe in December 1855. By the end of 1856, the Yakima War had mainly come to an end and in 1858 the Yakima were confined to a reservation. Catherine Paine was born in 1829. She married a Methodist minister and missionary, David Blaine (1824-1900) and the pair lived in Seneca Falls, New York. They were both active in the New England evangelical movement during the 1840s and 1850s. Catherine also promoted women's rights and signed the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions in July 1848 at Seneca Falls. This declaration later led to the formation of the National Woman Suffrage Association in 1869. In the 1850s, the Blaines went as missionaries to Puget Sound by ship, crossing the Isthmus of Panama. They finally landed at Alki in November 1853. Initially, they stayed as guests in the home of early settlers, Arthur A. Denny and his wife, Mary. The Blaines did their best to adapt to pioneer life, though Catherine frequently lamented in letters home how savage and dirty the settlers and the local Native Americans were. The other settlers found the Blaines a little too well-mannered but they eventually warmed to them. Meanwhile, the Blaines went about the business of serving the community and making a life for themselves. David frequently helped clear lots while Catherine did her best to undertake housekeeping. In December 1853, David established a Methodist Episcopal congregation under his ministry. Church meetings were held in a building offered by Guthrie Latimer. Unfortunately, David's sermons usually attracted no more than four people. In January 1854, many of the settlers combined to employ Catherine as a school teacher. She initially taught eight students and earned a salary of $65 a month. School was first held in the Latimer Building and later in the Blaines' new home. Carson Boren and Doc Maynard offered land to the Blaines for a church, parsonage and seminary. In May 1855, a small white church, nicknamed the "Little White Church" was officially dedicated. In January 1856, Catherine gave birth to their son, Jon, just days before the Battle of Seattle took place in the Yakima War. Following the battle, the couple moved to Portland for further missionary work. They returned to Seattle in 1882. Catherine died in 1908, eight years after David's death. The letters they sent home to New York during this period paint a vivid picture of early settler life in Seattle.

Still no letter from home to answer. perhaps this is the pay for my irregularity in writing soon after conference which was unavoidable. The steamer is hourly expected with the mails when perhaps I shall be able to credit some of you for a letter. As Martha has probably gone and Susan is gone and Eleanor has probably gone too. There are left only Derinda and Seraphina from whom I can claim letters regularly. I ought to receive one from one or the other at least every mail. A letter as often as once a month would be an advantage to them in improving their ease and practice [crossed out] habits of composition and a great gratification to us both & me especially by receiving something from home every mail. True, if there was any special news, I suppose I might get some information of it from Mother Paine's good letters to us but even then I should prefer to have my sisters write it. I have just finished a letter to the Northern Christian Advocate and I am writing more or less letters every mail to different persons and for different objects so that should I fail to write home every mail, you must excuse me and write first the same as if you received a letter from me. Now remember this is the arrangement - a letter every other mail from each of my dear sisters, Derinda and Seraphina and when you cannot write I shall be glad to have Father or Mother or both supply the deficiency.

I almost forgot what was written about our indian troubles in our last letter so I will give you an account of the present state of affairs what has been done and what is doing.

[In the margins, a passage continued from page 4 of letter:] hand the enclosed sheet to our folks as soon as convenient?